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*The INJURY UPDATE is a publication of the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health.
This and other IPS information may be obtained from the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department
of Health, 1000 N.E. 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, 405-271-3430 or 1-800-522-0204 (in Oklahoma).
IPS publications are also available at http://ips.health.ok.gov.
May 31, 2012
Heat-related Deaths in Oklahoma, 2011
In the United States, approximately 400 people die each year from extreme heat and 200 additional deaths
occur with heat as a contributing factor. Heat-related illness includes conditions resulting from hyperthermia.
These conditions range from heat cramps and heat exhaustion to heat stroke. Hyperthermia is a condition in
which improper thermoregulation causes the body’s temperature to increase. In the cases where
hyperthermia was listed as a contributing factor, cardiovascular disease was the number one cause of death.
Numerous factors inhibit the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. High humidity
prevents sweat from evaporating quickly,
subsequently preventing the body from quickly
releasing heat. Other conditions that can limit the
body’s ability to regulate temperature include
advanced age and young age (children ages 0-4),
obesity, dehydration, fever, poor circulation, heart
disease, sunburn, prescription or illicit drug use,
and alcohol use.
According to data from the Oklahoma Office of the
Chief Medical Examiner, 33 heat-related deaths
occurred in Oklahoma from May to September
2011. Persons ranged in age from 3 to 91 years of
age; the average age was 52 years. Deaths
increased with increasing age. Eighty-two percent
of persons were male and 18% were female.
Among males, 67% were age 45 and older; 26%
were age 65 and older. Among females, half of the
deaths were among those 65 and older (Figure 1).
Seventy-three percent of persons were white, 9%
African-American, 9% Hispanic, and 9% Native
American.
For cases with a known date of injury (26), the
number of cases peaked during the week of July 31
to August 6. The weekly average high temperatures
in central Oklahoma ranged from 77°F in May to
109°F in August (Figure 2).
Figure 1. Heat-Related Deaths by Age and Sex,
Oklahoma, 2011
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0-4 5-9 10-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Number of Deaths
Age
Male Female
Figure 2. Heat-Related Deaths and Average High Temperatures*
by Week, Oklahoma, 2011
70
80
90
100
110
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Average High Temperature
Number of Deaths
Week
Number of Deaths Temperature
*The average high temperature for the week was used for Norman, OK, because it is centrally located.

*The INJURY UPDATE is a publication of the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health.
This and other IPS information may be obtained from the Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department
of Health, 1000 N.E. 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73117, 405-271-3430 or 1-800-522-0204 (in Oklahoma).
IPS publications are also available at http://ips.health.ok.gov.
May 31, 2012
Heat-related Deaths in Oklahoma, 2011
In the United States, approximately 400 people die each year from extreme heat and 200 additional deaths
occur with heat as a contributing factor. Heat-related illness includes conditions resulting from hyperthermia.
These conditions range from heat cramps and heat exhaustion to heat stroke. Hyperthermia is a condition in
which improper thermoregulation causes the body’s temperature to increase. In the cases where
hyperthermia was listed as a contributing factor, cardiovascular disease was the number one cause of death.
Numerous factors inhibit the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. High humidity
prevents sweat from evaporating quickly,
subsequently preventing the body from quickly
releasing heat. Other conditions that can limit the
body’s ability to regulate temperature include
advanced age and young age (children ages 0-4),
obesity, dehydration, fever, poor circulation, heart
disease, sunburn, prescription or illicit drug use,
and alcohol use.
According to data from the Oklahoma Office of the
Chief Medical Examiner, 33 heat-related deaths
occurred in Oklahoma from May to September
2011. Persons ranged in age from 3 to 91 years of
age; the average age was 52 years. Deaths
increased with increasing age. Eighty-two percent
of persons were male and 18% were female.
Among males, 67% were age 45 and older; 26%
were age 65 and older. Among females, half of the
deaths were among those 65 and older (Figure 1).
Seventy-three percent of persons were white, 9%
African-American, 9% Hispanic, and 9% Native
American.
For cases with a known date of injury (26), the
number of cases peaked during the week of July 31
to August 6. The weekly average high temperatures
in central Oklahoma ranged from 77°F in May to
109°F in August (Figure 2).
Figure 1. Heat-Related Deaths by Age and Sex,
Oklahoma, 2011
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
0-4 5-9 10-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Number of Deaths
Age
Male Female
Figure 2. Heat-Related Deaths and Average High Temperatures*
by Week, Oklahoma, 2011
70
80
90
100
110
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Average High Temperature
Number of Deaths
Week
Number of Deaths Temperature
*The average high temperature for the week was used for Norman, OK, because it is centrally located.